Introduction

Everyone gets low from time to time. But if you feel down a lot of the time you may be depressed. Depression is an illness and there are some good treatments which can help you feel better.

Depression can also affect children and teenagers. See our articles on Depression in children.

We've brought together the best research about depression in adults and weighed up the evidence about how to treat it. You can use our information to talk to your doctor and decide which treatments are best for you.

Depression is so misunderstood that some people don't even realise it's an illness. That's understandable. Doctors don't know exactly what goes wrong, and the symptoms are not always obvious. People with depression often hide their illness instead of looking for help.

Yet for people who are diagnosed with depression and given help, the results can be very good. Many people have big improvements in their mood.

Key points for people with depression

• Depression can be treated; you don't have to suffer.

• Depression is common. It affects about 1 in 7 people at some time.

• If you think you may be depressed, it's important to talk to your doctor. Your doctor can tell you whether you are depressed and give you treatment.

• Antidepressants and talking treatments, such as cognitive therapy, can help treat depression.

• It can take as long as six weeks for antidepressants to make you feel better, so it is important not to stop taking them too soon.

How you feel

Everyone feels down sometimes, but depression is more than feeling unhappy.

If you have depression you may be irritable, tired, unable to sleep, unable to eat and unable to make decisions. You may also feel dissatisfied, guilty, hopeless, helpless and you may want to cry all the time. And as much as you try, you can't make yourself feel better.

Although everyone can have these feelings from time to time, if you have depression, they accumulate and don't go away. They can last for weeks or months. They can affect your sleep, relationships, job or school work, hobbies, sex drive and appetite. To learn more, see What are the symptoms of depression?

Some people with depression have symptoms that are not typical. If you're a man or a child, you may be anxious or irritable. If you're an older adult, you may suddenly lose your memory or concentration.^[1]

You can have depression at the same time as other illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, a heart attack or a stroke. Depression could also happen after a traumatic event, such as the death of someone close to you. Some people can become depressed after they've been drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs.^[2]